Deel vs Frontier Software – how they compare for AU/NZ payroll

How Deel and Frontier Software differ

Deel's core strength is employer of record and international hiring – enabling businesses to employ people in 150+ countries without setting up local entities, with AU payroll running through Astute Payroll (from its Paygroup acquisition) and anomaly detection via Payroll Detective, part of Deel AI Workforce. Deel is built first for global hiring flexibility, with payroll as a supporting capability within that broader hiring platform.

Frontier Software takes the opposite path: it is a dedicated AU/NZ HCM vendor with decades of local presence, whose ichris payroll engine covers 26 countries and sits within a full HCM suite (recruitment, talent, learning, HR), supported by long-standing local offices across Australia and New Zealand. Frontier Software's focus is deep local payroll and HCM delivery rather than global EOR hiring flexibility.

For buyers, the distinction is stark: Deel is the choice when the core requirement is hiring and employing people internationally without local entities, with payroll as part of that hiring motion; Frontier Software is the choice when the core requirement is a dedicated, locally-present payroll and HCM platform across AU/NZ and a defined set of other countries.

Where Deel fits

Deel is genuinely strong for organisations that need to hire and employ people in multiple countries quickly without establishing local entities, using EOR as the vehicle. For businesses whose priority is fast international hiring and contractor management, with AU payroll available through Astute Payroll as part of that broader platform, Deel is purpose-built for that use case.

Where Frontier Software fits

Frontier Software suits organisations that want a dedicated AU/NZ HCM vendor with genuine local presence – physical offices in four AU/NZ cities – plus multi-country reach across 26 nations through ichris and a full HCM suite spanning recruitment, talent, and learning. It fits businesses prioritising payroll and HR depth over EOR-style global hiring.

Where Affinity fits

Where Deel optimises for global hiring flexibility and EOR reach and Frontier Software optimises for a broad HCM suite across 26 countries, Affinity concentrates solely on AU/NZ payroll depth. For organisations whose payroll complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand – many modern awards, EBAs, Holidays Act calculations, STP Phase 2, Pay Day Super – a specialist engine with pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support is a different proposition to a global EOR platform or a multi-country HCM suite. Some organisations run Deel for international contractor hiring and Affinity for their complex AU/NZ payroll operation.